


The Woman in the Mirror

by Liza_Taylor



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 18:09:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21324457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liza_Taylor/pseuds/Liza_Taylor
Summary: Byleth looks into the mirror, the green hair and green eyes looking back is someone she doesn't recognize.Quick one-shot of Byleth's thoughts/feelings after Sothis blesses her with power.ClaudeXf!Byleth.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 91





	The Woman in the Mirror

Who was the woman in the mirror?

Byleth stared at her reflection. The mint green hair and light green eyes. This wasn’t her. This wasn’t her at all. It was a stranger, someone who she wasn’t. Rhea, Seteth and Flayn were excited about her change, her students complimenting her on it.

She glanced to the corner of her room where Sothis usually floated but ever since the goddess had bestowed her power, Byleth had not heard her voice. She had given Byleth the strength to escape but at what cost? Was it worth looking into the mirror and not knowing the person that looked back at her? It wasn’t like she felt any different besides that. It wasn’t like she gained any more power; the Sword of Creator felt the same like always.

And yet…

And yet…

Was it even worth all that?

Byleth pulled the dagger out of its sheath. An old trinket she had for years, given to her by Jeralt so long ago. Her heart ached at the memory of her father. That wound was too fresh. There was so much she wanted to tell him, so much she wanted to show him. She wanted to show him her smile, her frown, her anger, her tears. Anything to show him his daughter was more than the Ashen Demon that was her namesake.

The dagger edge was sharp. She had taken care of it well over the years, even moreso now that it was one of the few things left of Jeralt.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and held the dagger up to her hair. She didn’t want this, she didn’t want to look in the mirror and see this hair that didn’t belong to her. Or the eyes that didn’t belong to her.

Who knew how much of what was inside had changed as well? Was she even the same anymore?

Could she ever be the same anymore?

A loud explicit came from the doorway and she saw a golden blur rush to her. A warm hand closed over hers with the dagger and Claude’s face came into view, his expression full of concern and worry. His green eyes were slightly wide and panicked as he looked her over. “Teach, please, think about this. You can’t…” He shook his head. “You don’t need to do this. I told you, let me share some of your burden Teach. Please…”

She was confused at first. What was he talking about? Why was he here? And then she realized what it must have looked like from the doorway. Byleth standing before her mirror, her dagger close to her throat.

She released the dagger and it fell between them, burying into the floorboards. Claude swept her up into a tight hug, his head resting on her shoulder. “Thank you,” he whispered.

She awkwardly patted his back, surprised that her easy-going student was reacting in this way. “Claude, it’s okay…it wasn’t…I wasn’t…it was just my hair. I wanted to cut it.”

“Your hair?” He released her and stepped back.

She lifted a lock to show him. “It isn’t me. That or my eyes.” She looked helplessly towards the mirror. “I look at myself and I don’t recognize the person looking back. It’s not me Claude. That’s not me,” she whispered.

“Well you do look a little different, but you are you Teach.” He grasped a lock of her hair. “I don’t know if there’s much we can do about your eyes but with a little hair dye, we could get your hair looking like it did before. It’s light so it should be easy to dye back.”

“But it will still be there Claude. This weird hair color will be there.” She rested her hands on her chest. She didn’t realize how odd it was that her heart did not beat until coming here to the monastery. She was an abnormality in every sense of the word. And now even more so.

“Even if your hair or eye color changes, you’re still you Teach.” He lifted her chin so she would look at him. “You’re still the professor that explains the material in simple to understand terms and the one that cheers us on and gives amazing tactical advice. You may look different on the outside, but you’re the same on the inside.” He winked. “Trust me, I can tell these sorts of things.”

She rubbed her eyes. “Thank you Claude.”

“Anytime Teach!” He bent down and pulled the dagger out of the floorboards and handed it to her. “I know this is important to you.”

She took the dagger back from him and put it back on her belt. “But seriously, thank you Claude.”

“Oh man, two compliments in less than five minutes? You really know how to make a guy feel special.”

She had to smile as he gave her his signature cocky smile. Claude never changed did he? Although now that she was thinking about it….

“Wait, why are you in my room in the first place? I thought I closed the door.”

“Well I knocked, and you didn’t answer and I was worried so I tried to open the door and well, much to my surprise, it did open. Seriously Teach, I know you’re a badass and all but locks are there for a reason.” He rested his hands behind his head and tried to look very nonchalant, but she could tell he wasn’t as relaxed as he usually was.

“Well I doubt anyone but you would have the audacity to try to open my door.”

“Seriously Teach, do you think that low of me?”

She smiled. “Not at all.”

“Great, that does mean you will join me in the dining hall? I heard we’re have a special meal today.”

“I think I will.” She gave herself one final look in the mirror. The woman who stared back wasn’t one she recognized but perhaps, soon enough, she would be.


End file.
